1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a light guide panel, a backlight unit and a display apparatus, and more particularly, a light guide panel capable of displaying an image using a light emitting module in a display as backlight, a backlight unit and a display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) generally cannot emit light by themselves. Accordingly, an LCD requires a backlight unit (BLU) to emit backlight onto an LCD panel.
The BLU includes a light emitting unit which generates backlight, and a light guide panel which transmits the backlight onto the surface of the display panel uniformly. The light emitting unit includes light emitting elements which are arranged to efficiently project the backlight onto the LCD, and driving elements which drive the light emitting elements. The driving elements may be implemented as a number suitable to drive the light emitting elements.
BLUs are divided into a direct type and an edge type. In the direct BLU, light emitting elements are positioned evenly on a rear surface of the BLU. In the edge BLU, light emitting elements are positioned only at one or more lateral side edges of the BLU.
The edge BLU has lower luminance and lower uniformity of luminance than the direct BLU, but has the advantage of being slimmer.
In the edge BLU, the light emitting elements are positioned only at the lateral side edge of the BLU, so a light guide panel is required to transmit backlight toward the center of the display panel. However, a fixing groove and a fixing protrusion of the light guide panel are disposed on a light path between the light source and the light guide panel, so a portion of light emitted onto the light guide panel may be blocked or scattered. As a result, uniformity of luminance may be lowered around the fixing protrusion, and lines or shadows may appear on the display.
Therefore, there is a need for a light guide panel capable of improving luminance of backlight and uniformity of luminance.